Pre- and postsynaptic sites for serotonin modulation of GABA-containing neurons in the shell region of the rat nucleus accumbens - PubMed (original) (raw)

Pre- and postsynaptic sites for serotonin modulation of GABA-containing neurons in the shell region of the rat nucleus accumbens

E J Van Bockstaele et al. J Comp Neurol. 1996.

Abstract

The shell of the nucleus accumbens received a dense serotonergic innervation and contains abundant gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-immunoreactive neurons. Moreover, serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine: 5-HT) and GABA have been implicated in a variety of common motivational and motor-related functions partially ascribed in this brain area. We used immunoelectron microscopy of antisera directed against 5-HT and GABA in the same section of tissue to examine whether there were cellular substrates that might indicate more specific sites for functional interactions involving these transmitters in the shell region of the rat nucleus accumbens. Immunogold-silver labeling for GABA was localized to perikarya, dendrites, axons and axon terminals, whereas immunoperoxidase labeling for 5-HT was restricted to axons and axon terminals. Approximately half (187/366) of the 5-HT-immunoreactive axon terminals apposed or formed synaptic junctions with postsynaptic neurons. These junctions were mainly of the symmetric-type (83/187) characteristic of inhibitory transmitters, and were equally prevalent on dendrites with and without detectable gold-silver labeling for GABA. Of the 187 5-HT-labeled axon terminals with recognized synaptic contacts, 36% also showed convergence on a common dendrite with a GABA-labeled axon terminal. In addition, 5-HT- and GABA-immunoreactive axon terminals were commonly (83/366) identified in direct apposition to one another. Within a single plane of section, 41% of the apposed GABA-immunoreactive axon terminals formed symmetric-type junctions with dendrites or somata, whereas, the apposed 5-HT-labeled axon terminals rarely showed postsynaptic contacts. These results indicate that 5-HT-containing axon terminals may postsynaptically inhibit GABAergic neurons and their targets within the shell of the rat nucleus accumbens. Additionally, our results strongly suggest that, in this brain region, appositions between 5-HT and GABA axons and axon terminals may facilitate presynaptic interactions between these transmitter systems.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

• Synaptic structure and connectivity of serotonin terminals in the ventral tegmental area: potential sites for modulation of mesolimbic dopamine neurons.
  Van Bockstaele EJ, Cestari DM, Pickel VM. Van Bockstaele EJ, et al. Brain Res. 1994 Jun 6;647(2):307-22. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(94)91330-7. Brain Res. 1994. PMID: 7522922
• Cholinergic axon terminals in the ventral tegmental area target a subpopulation of neurons expressing low levels of the dopamine transporter.
  Garzón M, Vaughan RA, Uhl GR, Kuhar MJ, Pickel VM. Garzón M, et al. J Comp Neurol. 1999 Jul 26;410(2):197-210. doi: 10.1002/(sici)1096-9861(19990726)410:2<197::aid-cne3>3.0.co;2-d. J Comp Neurol. 1999. PMID: 10414527 Review.
• GABA distribution in a pain-modulating zone of trigeminal subnucleus interpolaris.
  Matthews MA, McDonald GK, Hernandez TV. Matthews MA, et al. Somatosens Res. 1988;5(3):205-17. doi: 10.3109/07367228809144627. Somatosens Res. 1988. PMID: 2895952 Review.

Cited by

• Serotonin hyperinnervation and upregulated 5-HT2A receptor expression and motor-stimulating function in nigrostriatal dopamine-deficient Pitx3 mutant mice.
  Li L, Qiu G, Ding S, Zhou FM. Li L, et al. Brain Res. 2013 Jan 23;1491:236-50. doi: 10.1016/j.brainres.2012.11.010. Epub 2012 Nov 15. Brain Res. 2013. PMID: 23159831 Free PMC article.
• The anatomy of co-morbid neuropsychiatric disorders based on cortico-limbic synaptic interactions.
  Totterdell S. Totterdell S. Neurotox Res. 2006 Oct;10(2):65-85. doi: 10.1007/BF03033236. Neurotox Res. 2006. PMID: 17062369 Review.
• Role of 5-hydroxytryptamine 1B (5-HT1B) receptors in the regulation of ethanol intake in rodents.
  Sari Y. Sari Y. J Psychopharmacol. 2013 Jan;27(1):3-12. doi: 10.1177/0269881112463126. Epub 2012 Oct 31. J Psychopharmacol. 2013. PMID: 23118018 Free PMC article. Review.
• Enhanced locomotor, reinforcing, and neurochemical effects of cocaine in serotonin 5-hydroxytryptamine 2C receptor mutant mice.
  Rocha BA, Goulding EH, O'Dell LE, Mead AN, Coufal NG, Parsons LH, Tecott LH. Rocha BA, et al. J Neurosci. 2002 Nov 15;22(22):10039-45. doi: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.22-22-10039.2002. J Neurosci. 2002. PMID: 12427861 Free PMC article.
• The inhibitory influence of the lateral habenula on midbrain dopamine cells: ultrastructural evidence for indirect mediation via the rostromedial mesopontine tegmental nucleus.
  Balcita-Pedicino JJ, Omelchenko N, Bell R, Sesack SR. Balcita-Pedicino JJ, et al. J Comp Neurol. 2011 Apr 15;519(6):1143-64. doi: 10.1002/cne.22561. J Comp Neurol. 2011. PMID: 21344406 Free PMC article.

Publication types

MeSH terms

Substances

LinkOut - more resources

• Full Text Sources

  • Wiley